A railtour is a charter passenger train operated outside the normal scheduled passenger service. Rather than running as part of a regular timetable, railtours are organised for a particular journey, event or date. They are often aimed at railway enthusiasts, although many are also sold as leisure trips to destinations around Britain.
Railtours can be particularly interesting because they may use locomotives, coaching stock and routes not normally seen on regular passenger services.
Who Operates Railtours?
A railtour often involves several organisations. A tour promoter sells tickets and organises the trip, while a licensed train operating company provides the operational capability to run it on the national network.
Rolling stock may come from a separate fleet owner or preservation organisation. Traction can include diesel and electric locomotives, preserved main-line locomotives and steam locomotives.
This can produce unusual combinations of locomotives and coaching stock. In Britain, specialist railtour operators include Locomotive Services Limited, Vintage Trains and West Coast Railways.
Railtour Headcodes
Like other trains on the British railway network, railtours are allocated train reporting numbers, commonly called headcodes.
Special passenger workings are frequently given 1Zxx headcodes. The first character identifies the train class, while the remaining characters form the reporting number for the individual working.
A railtour may therefore appear in railway data with a headcode such as 1Z40. The headcode applies to that particular working and does not permanently identify a locomotive or railtour.
Positioning and Empty Coaching Stock
The passenger-carrying railtour is often only part of the day's operation.
Before or after the tour, locomotives and coaches may need to travel between depots, storage locations and passenger stations. These are known as positioning moves.
Empty Coaching Stock workings are commonly given 5xxx reporting numbers, with special or one-off workings often appearing as 5Zxx. For example, 5Z45 on 26 August 2026 was an Empty Coaching Stock working positioning coaches rather than carrying passengers.
Locomotives can also travel without coaches as light locomotive movements, normally using a Class 0 reporting number. For example, 37407 working as 0Z39 and 67005 as 0A06 were both recorded running light locomotive.
Why Railtours Produce Unusual Sightings
Railtours can take locomotives and rolling stock well outside their usual operating areas. They may also use unusual routes to collect passengers, reach destinations or because the route itself forms part of the attraction.
This means the railtour, its positioning moves and associated light locomotive workings can all produce interesting sightings.
More railtour videos
- A3 Pacific No. 60103 “Flying Scotsman” Visits Newcastle Central — 23 Sept 2026
- LSL Class 43 Blue Pullman departs Carlisle Citadel
- LSL Class 43 Blue Pullman arrives at Carlisle Citadel
- 71000 “Duke of Gloucester” and 50050 “Fearless” on the Cornish Riviera Express
- Railtour Galore at Taunton including Flying Scotsman
- Chasing a Class 40 to the Scottish Highlands
- Azumas and more at Very Busy Carlisle — 19 September 2026
- 1013 & 1001 Hastings Diesels Limited Megawatt Valley Venturer
- Thumping to High Marnham on The Megawatt Valley Venturer
- Trains at Church Fenton — 15 September 2026
